ASPE Report: Use of Contract Staff in Nursing Homes Remains High After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Over one million Americans rely on nursing homes for care, yet nursing homes face challenges in recruiting and retaining staff. Nursing homes rely on registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nursing assistants (NAs) to provide care, but staff shortages that increased during the COVID-19 pandemic have persisted. Contract …

CMS Nursing Home Staffing Campaign Website

Improving Care Through Increased Staffing Nursing home staffing has a significant impact on the quality of care that residents receive. Feedback from both nursing home staff and residents consistently highlights staffing as their primary concern. In response, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is launching a national Nursing …

LTPAC Onboarding and Orientation Process Pitfalls

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss some common pitfalls of the onboarding and orientation process in long-term and post-acute care settings and how to set new …

OIG: National Background Check Program for Long-Term Care Providers: A Final Assessment

Report Materials Why OIG Did This Review What OIG Found The National Background Check Program successfully established a program to help States identify efficient, effective, and economical procedures for conducting background checks on prospective long-term care employees. The National Background Check Program helped States successfully build systems to disqualify employees …

Early Lessons: How Onboarding and Retention Specialists May Boost Staffing 

Over the last decade, a strong orientation and onboarding process has been linked to higher levels of knowledge, critical thinking skills, and job satisfaction among nursing staff—leading to lower staff turnover and improved retention. Conversely, an inadequate onboarding process can quickly turn new hires into former employees, forcing providers to …

Nursing Orientation and Onboarding Done Right Can Boost Retention

Working as a nurse in a nursing home can be overwhelming, especially if the director of nursing services (DNS) and executive leadership expect nurses to learn on the job and fail to set up a comprehensive program that includes adequate orientation (short-term training and support) and onboarding (longer-term training and …

Navigating the Role: Essential Training for New Nurse Assessment Coordinators

Navigating the multifaceted role of the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) can be daunting, especially for those new to the position. Whether titled NAC, MDS coordinator, Medicare case manager, or another variant, the responsibilities are both far reaching and crucial to ensuring quality care in long-term care facilities. As facilities increasingly …

Staff Work Schedules: It’s Time to Get Flexible—and Realistic—to Improve Retention

Flexible scheduling, which allows staff members to opt for shorter shifts, longer shifts, add-on shifts, and other staffing flexibilities, can be a strong tool for both recruitment and retention in long-term care, says Jasmine Travers, PhD, MHS, RN, AGPCNP-BC, assistant professor at the New York University Rory Meyers College of …

Improve Staff Retention by Following Hiring Best Practices and Elevating the Onboarding Process

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss how the director of nursing services (DNS) can improve staff retention through the onboarding process. Additional Resources: